Runner for automobiles.



' 2 BHEET8-BHBBT 1.

Patented Nov. 8,- 1910.

Thnmas T MILLDOWN RUNNER FOB AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APB..20,1910.

I TPMILLDOWN. RUNNER FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED un. 20,1910.

975,267. Patented N0 v.8,'1910. R SHEETS-HEBET 2- automobile may sideview of an automobile s 'owin strip 2 located at some little.distance'above member 19 from which extends-a rod 20 BATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MILLDOWN; OF RED LODGE, MONTANA.

RUNNER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed April 20, 1910. Serial No. 556,609.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved apparatus forthis purpgse by means of which an automobile may utilized'to travel overeither snow or me.

The invention has further for its object to provide an apparatus which;may

be at-' tached to an automobile and used inlieu of the wheels thereof toconvert an automobile into a sleigh and by means of whichthe be used totravel over either snow or me. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention is more fully setforth in the accompanying drawings and specification.

re 1 is a I it equipped with an apparatus constructe according to thisinvention. Fi 2 is an en larged perspective view of t e apparatusconstructed according to this invention, which is adapted to be attachedtolthe axles of an automo 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion ofthe mechanism employed in connection with the apparatus shown in'Fig.2.-

In carrying out this invention a pair of runners are employed which are,constructed with a bottom runner 1, an intermediate Referrlng to therawings: Fi

the bottom runner 1 and secured at one end of the runner 1 .and to acurved upright portion 3 of the forward end of the runner 1. The'strip 2is supported by means of up H. 'S aced'at some lit- I I its-rear end tothe top of t e standard 2 and at its forward end to the upperend ofthe'curvedportion 3 of the runner 1. The strips 1, 2 and 4 are each,

provided-respectively witha slot 5, a slot and a slot 6-; the slot 6,the slot I slot 5 being each smaller than the other to ile in place ofits wheels. Fig! 5 and the accommodate a tooth wheel hereinafterreferred to.

Upon the top strip 1 of each runner is mounted a pair of axlebearings'i', which pair of axle bearings 7 is adapted to receive asshown In Fig. l, the-wheel 9 projecting through the slot 6 and the slot5, and a poi;

into the slot 5.' The rear end of the stri 1 is hinged at 9 to the topof the standard or u right 2' and the forward end of the strip 4 isprovided with a headed end 10, the neck 11 of which i'srlocated in avertical grooved slot 12 in the upper end of the curved portion 3 of therunner 1.

;By means of this construction, seen that the wheel 9- is mounted upon ayieldable'support so as to permit of a vertical play of the wheel of therunners is yieldably supported by means of curved-springs 13 secured tothe under side of the; strip 4 and having their .ends bearing ,on thetop-of the strip 2. At the forward end of'the runners is mounted a crankshaft 14 formed at its ends with upwardly-projecting U-shaped portions15, each of said U-. haped portions 15 being hin edon bearings 16-01 thestrip 2, said U-s aped portions 15 having an intermediate U-shapedportion 17 located beneath a slot 'l'l in the forward end of each of thestrips 4: through which slot 17 extends a .coil sprin 18 connected atone end with the U-shape portion 17 of' the crank member 15 the otherend of the spring 18' being suit- ,ab y secured to the upper end ofthecurved portion 3 of the runner 1. 'A crank shaft 14 is formed at itscentral portion with a crank member 19 having a hinged sleeve 1; and.out of engagement with a curved rack 28 on the bracket 24 whereby thelever arm 22 may be held in locked engagement. The "rod 26 is held inengagement witn the rack tion of the rim of said wheel '9 projecting" awill be 7 i an axle 8 of an automobile, said axle 8 proect1ng throughthe hub of a tooth wheel 9,

9., Eachstrip 1 28 by means of a coil sprin 29 located on the rod 26between the brac ets 27.

By means of this construction, the lever arm 22 may be operated by theoccu ant of the automobile to operate thecran shaft 14 and raise andlower'the crank members" 15 thereof, the upper end of each of the crankmembers 15 hearing against the under side of each strip 4:, whereby whenthe parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2- V each strip 4'will be held -up by the crank members 15, held in locked engagementthrough the locking lever 22 and the toothed wheel 9 on each side of theautomobile will have its teeth thereby in engagement with thesurfaceflover' which the runners travel. 'In this posit on theautomobilemay be used as a eslelgh to run 'on snow ,or ice b meansof-therunnersflthe toothed wheels ein in engagement with the surfaceover w ich the runners travel.. When it is desired to use the automobileon ice, the toothed wheels 9 are movedinto operative position to engagethe ice by operating the lever handle 22 so as to move the crank arms 15down out of engagement; with the upper strip 4 of "each runner therebypermitting the upper strip 4' Of-eachmunHer to swing downward throughthe 5 weight of "the automobile and project through'each iSlOi? 5 andthe teeth of said wheel to project below the bottom of each runner, asis shown in'Fig. 1. In this position, the runners are slightly raisedabove the surface ofthe ice. arms 15 are in a lowered position the coilsprin 18 connected with each crank arm "15 is 'un er tension as{ alsothe curved spring 13 betweenf'the strips tf-and 2. When thetoothedwheels 'ar be moved out of. en-

gagement 'rface over which the automobile is to travel by operating'thecr-ank shaft 14,'the-crank.arms -15 are each 'raisedup by each "strip 4and with itthe toothed wheel .mounted I thereon. springs 18 and 13aid-in moving the strip 4f to its position as shown 'in Figs; land 2.

By means of an apparatus constructed in accordance with;'thisinventionthe runners to the axle of the 'tomobile and the run- "-wheels can be 11ed interchangeably byrmea'ns of theoperaf ng crank, mechanism describedsons to utilize afi lflqiitonlobile for use eith "-onf ice' or snow.

I'claimas my inven irjs .each 0 When the 1. In an apparatus of thecharacter dcscrijbed, a pair. of runners mounted on the axle of anautomobile, at toothed wheel mounted on each end ofsaidaxle andextending vertically through each of said runners and having a yieldingsupport-thereon, a crankshaft mechanism operatively connected "with saidyielding support, and means for locking said crank shaft mechanism."'2.---In-- an apparatus of the character described, a pairof runners eachadapted to be mounted on the axle of an automobile, each runnerconsisting of a bottom strip and paralle1,-stpaced strips above saidbottom strip', said strips hajving alongitudinal slo a toothed wheelmounted on each end of the axle of an automobile said axle'having itsbearin in the upper to strip, and said toothed'wheel extending th roughthe slots in said strips, the upper strip being hinged at one end, acrank shaft mechan sm having crank shaft members located beneath theforward end of said top strip, springs: connecting said crank memberswith the runners, springs supporting said top strip, and

'n'ism; v

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a pa1r of runners, eachformed with a bottom runner having an upwardly-curved forward end, alongitudinal strip spacedmeans for operating said crank shaftmechaa'bove said bottom runner and connected thereto, a top stripspaced-above said longitudinal strip and hinged at itsrear end to.therunner and'having its forward end vertically movable and connectedwith the bottom runner, springs interposed betweeufhe top strip and theintermediate longitudinal strip, each of said strips having alongitudinalv slot, bearings on -the top strip of each runner for theaxle of an automobile, a

crank shaft mechanism mounted on the for? 'ward end of the runners andhaving a crank member at each end bearing against the under side of thetop strip, ancl'a 5, ring con necting each of said crank mem ers withthe forward end of the lowest bottom strip of the runner. v

In testlmony-whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS MILLno'wN.

lWitnesses; Y i

CAsWELL, Ho s/[As Haarrnr.

